(Planet Ixtal, The Lost Forest, Leo's POV)
Leo felt his boots tremble slightly as he stepped into Soron's castle without the great god being present, as the air within still carried the weight of divinity, an ancient pressure that clung to every wall and corridor as though the castle itself mourned its master's absence.
He paused for a brief moment, allowing the silence to wash over him, before heading down to the basement to personally collect the treasures that Soron had so preciously guarded over the years.
Unlike the other vaults scattered across Cult territory, which he could entrust to his underlings to empty out, Soron's castle was the only place he insisted on handling himself, as the great god's possessions were not mere artifacts of value, but fragments of the Cult's legacy—relics of the Timeless Assassin's own era, and Leo could not bear to let another man's eyes fall upon them.
"Forgive me, Lord Soron," he muttered quietly, his voice echoing faintly through the vast hall. "I am ashamed to empty your castle without your permission, but I truly see no other way out of this mess."
He walked toward the grand chest at the center of the room, its golden surface reflecting his faint silhouette as he continued under his breath.
"I know very well how much Ixtal and this castle mean to you... yet unfortunately, I cannot protect them. So this is the best I can do."
He said, as with careful movements, he began his task—storing each relic into a specially prepared storage ring, taking great care not to damage even a single item.
Paintings that depicted Soron's earliest conquests, furniture carved from celestial trees, and ceremonial blades once used in divine rites— all were gathered one after another, handled with silent reverence as he moved through the empty shelves.
By the time he was done, the once full treasure chamber, radiant with grandeur and history, now stood hollow and silent, its brilliance reduced to empty space and echoing steps.
Yet as Leo stood in the middle of the vacant hall, he felt no regret— for when Soron returned, at least his memories, his legacy, and everything he once held dear would still exist, preserved safely through Leo's hands, far from the ruin that was soon to befall Ixtal.
"Today, I'm not strong enough to save everyone. But I'll do the best job I can as Sect Master."
Leo promised before heading out, as he burned the helplessness he felt today into memory, and swore to get stronger, so that he never had to feel this powerless ever again.
---
(Ex-Planet Juxta's Orbit, Raymond's POV)
It had been more than thirty hours since Juxta was turned into dust and silence, yet the aftertaste of the victory refused to leave Raymond's mouth.
He sat inside his quarters aboard the Chief Destroyer Ship, in his palm a crystal communicator, as he reported to his father about the battle, and requested permission to carry the assault forward.
"Uncle's absence provides us with a unique opportunity to obliterate the Cult, father. So if you wish, I can continue with my fleet and destroy a new Cult planet everyday, bringing glory to you and the Universal Government."
He proposed, as Kaelith clicked his tongue in disappointment from the other end of the call.
*Click*
"You still have a lot to learn from me, Raymond, if that's the proposal you came up with."
Kaelith began, his voice heavy, as he made his disappointment known to his son.
"Perhaps the loss of mortal life and resources does not register as a loss to you. However, let me remind you of how many underlings you lost in your capture of Juxta. One hundred and twenty thousand ships, each costing us anywhere between one million MP to two hundred and fifty million, bringing the total loss to hundreds of billions of MP. And inside those ships, a mortal force of over ten billion lies dead, with another two billion injured, meaning that out of the twenty billion men you took with you, about sixty percent are now out of action. And as if all this wasn't enough, as a final stroke of folly, you also lost two Monarch tier underlings, while deciding to blow up planet Juxta, which was our only means to recover any of the monetary loss we incurred while waging this war."
Kaelith scolded, as Raymond hung his head in shame.
"Of-course, the all powerful Demi God Raymond, doesn't care about all this. However, I do. These Commanders and men you take with you into battle are men that are loyal to ME. Although we operate under a common umbrella of the Universal Government, there are still factions within it that favor either me, Helmuth or Mauriss. And if those two want to capture the Cult lands like bloodthirsty idiots, they can do so with men loyal to them. However, you, and your men, will stay out of it."
Kaelith issued the ultimatum, as Raymond listened to his lecture like a spoiled child.
"Knowing Mauriss, he must have already issued the orders to capture Cult lands, so we will see it happen regardless of whether you do it or not. However, when Soron inadvertently returns, it will then be his men facing Soron's wrath and not ours. Attacking the Cult lands now is no different from killing bear cubs while their mother is out hunting. As while it is easy, it yields no tangible benefit, and only puts a very angry mother bear on our scent. So take the smart way out, pull out your men, and focus on publicizing the fact that you killed Charles instead, spreading the message and perception within the Righteous Faction, that it is you who opened the floodgates to the Cult's demise. So that even if Mauriss and Helmuth capture Cult lands later, the credit still goes to you—"
Kaelith ordered, as Raymond nodded meekly.
"As you instruct, Wise Father"
He said, as Kaelith disconnected the call.
(More chapters in Buyers club for TMT)